A total of 24,386 births last year involved mums aged over 40.Women in their 50s had 104 babies.

Edward Morris, of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “These figures reflect the increasing number of complex births due to rising maternal age and obesity, together with more women with pre-existing medical conditions having babies.

“Together these factors increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and a more complicated labour.”

The number of babies born in 2016 was down two per cent on the previous year.